Prep Football / Port Angeles 31, Roosevelt 28 -- Port Angeles Holds Off Wild Roosevelt Rally

For Port Angeles, the Olympic League regular-season finale against Roosevelt was a tuneup for the Class AAA playoffs.

Although Roosevelt learned its parts were in decent shape and almost put the brakes on the other Roughriders from the Olympic Peninsula, it is parked at the curb until next fall.

However, Roosevelt took Port Angeles for a wild ride last night at Memorial Stadium before letting the visitors off with a 31-28 victory.

Larry Williams' 37-yard field goal with 1:58 remaining held up for Port Angeles, which weathered a Roosevelt drive in the final 44 seconds.

The desperation drive began at the 50-yard line after linebacker Ben Mori recovered a Port Angeles fumble. But time ran out as Roosevelt moved inside the 35.

"I'm proud of how they played this game," Roosevelt Coach D.R. Clawson said. "We gave up a lot of yards, but they took it right down to the wire. They didn't give up.

"I'm not pleased with our record (2-5, 3-6), but I'm pleased with our team," Clawson said. "They didn't have anything to play for but respect, and they certainly earned a lot of respect."

Port Angeles (6-1, 7-2) was assured the Olympic League's No. 2 seed regardless of last night's outcome. It will play Wilson in the Olympic League/Narrows League playoff Tuesday at Silverdale Stadium, with the winner advancing to the first round of the Class AAA state playoffs.

Roosevelt rallied from a 14-0 deficit to take a 21-14 halftime lead on quarterback Chad Kodama's 9-yard touchdown run. Anthony Brown had a 95-yard kickoff return, then caught an 11-yard scoring pass from Kodama to help bring the Roughriders back.

Kodama ran for an 11-yard TD in the fourth quarter to give Roosevelt a 28-21 lead before his counterpart, Kevin Colley, hit Keaton Gaines on a 64-yard scoring pass and Williams kicked the extra point for a 28-28 knot.

Roosevelt's Mike Baylor led all rushers with 128 yards. Kodama ran for 113 yards and two TDs and completed 10 of 24 passes for 108 yards.

J.R. McBride, who ran 55 yards for one touchdown, finished with 116 yards rushing for Port Angeles. Colley passed for 313 yards and touchdowns of 25, 82 and 64 yards.

A plague of turnovers

McBride's interception set up the decisive drive for Port Angeles, and Clawson said turnovers have plagued Roosevelt all season.

"That's the way it's been for us most of the year - blown coverages and minor mistakes," he said. "It's frustrating, but it comes with the inexperience we have. Our quarterback is good, and he's going to get even better, and we have a heck of a wide receiver in Anthony Brown. Our offensive line is all juniors, so we have some key people coming back next year. And they got an awful lot of reps this year."

Notes

-- North Kitsap (6-1, 6-3) and Port Angeles (6-1, 7-2) tied for the Olympic League championship, but North Kitsap gets the league's No. 1 seed because of its victory over Port Angeles.

North Kitsap will play Bellarmine Prep in the second game of a doubleheader Tuesday at Silverdale Stadium, with the winner earning the Olympic League's No. 1 state berth. Port Angeles plays Wilson for the No. 2 state berth.

Olympic plays Narrows champion South Kitsap Tuesday at South Kitsap for the Narrows League's No. 1 state berth.